Covenant pediatric heart patients celebrate with Red Raider football team

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) – Pediatric heart patients gathered for a very special reunion hosted by Covenant Children's Hospital. The party honored kids who have had a heart procedure in the past five years. Organizers say it gives the children a chance to spend time with their doctors and nurses outside a hospital room.

The party keeps getting bigger each year and lets the former pediatric ICU patients forget about being sick.

"It's amazing how the community comes together to support all these sweet kids who are fighting for their lives. They get to do something fun to take their minds off all the sad," said Shay McDaniel, who sits on the Covenant Children's Board.

Children got the chance to play with miniature horses, make stuffed animals and even hang out with the Red Raider football team.

"It's important to give back to the community. Everyone supports us on Saturday and for the rest of the year it is our job to show them that we care," said Red Raider receiver Austin Zouzalik. Zouzalik, along with other members of the team played games with the kids and signed footballs.

Other Red Raiders went to visit children who couldn't make it out of their hospital rooms for the party.